I need help from disney math experts!

[AR81]

I got a pin the other day for free dining. I am trying to figure out if the 30% room off is better than the free quick service dining. We will definitely be staying at value(probably pop). I am not ready to book yet but will in the next couple of weeks. I didn't want to bother calling and wasting their time working up quotes if I am not ready to book yet but I am dying to get this figured out. First of all, I was very excited to get the pin but I realize a lot of people got the same pin! Anyways, I went in to the website and priced a vacation package-- I did not select special offer or room only. This should be giving me the room at rack rate--right? Then I went in to compare by doing a room only 30% spring offer and add the price of tickets. If it was done that way I could either buy my tickets through disney or undercovertourist. I really am trying to get to my point. lol.. The difference in these is less than $200. That can't be right. Can anyone help me or should I just bother the lucky cm that gets my phone call and have them price it out for me beforehand? Thanks

 

[chocovrdmicears]

There is no way we can help you with the specific #'s without more info..
How many people are in your group? Adults & Kids.

The short answer:
Free Dining is typically the best deal when you stay at a Value.
30% of a $120 a night room is less than the QS cost for 2 Adults.


% off discounts are the best savings when staying at a Deluxe.
The savings will be greater but you often spend more OOP for the bottom line.

 

[luvmyguyz]

To figure it out, I would need to know how many people and their ages that would be included in the dining plan. But you can figure out the difference by pricing 2 seperate vacation packages:

1. Room at regular price plus tickets (let's say 5-day basic) + plus quick-service dining = $XXXX. Then room at regular price plus 5-day tickets and NO dining - the difference will give you the cost of the dining plan for your specific traveling group. The second price is what you would pay with free QS dining.

2. Room at 30% discount (use the spring sale dates) + same number of tickets (5-day) + dining.

I've found that free dining is always the better option for my family of 5, but that may not be the case for a smaller family or couple. You pay for dining for each person, but the room rate is the same regardless of the number of people unless you have only one person in the room. Ex - a room with 2 people costs the same as a room with 3. I think they may charge more if you have more than 2 adults in a room though - not sure about that.

I hope I didn't confuse you more- it made sense in my head, but I may not have conveyed it properly! If you give me your traveling party details (ages) and how may days you want the room for and how may days you want tickets for, I can give you exact figures and show you the better deal.

 

[AR81]

Thank you so much for your quick replies. I stepped away from the computer to start dinner. lol.. Basically this is what I was figuring...
A family of 4 ( 2 adults, 1 teenager, 1 child under 10)
5 nights at Pop ( specifically 5/30 - 6/4)-- liked to get preferred room
5 day tickets with waterpark option

Before I got the pin I was using the 30% spring offer because it qualifies and the room(preferred) was around 650. Forgive me I would have to leave this page to find the exact amount--it might have been closer to 670. Then I was either going to buy tickets through disney or undercover tourist which the 5 day with waterpark for my family is 1200 give or take 5 dollars or so. So we are at 1850 before tax and we planned on bringing $900 with us for food. So a total of around $2700. I think 900 for 5 nights with 4 people for food is a good estimate because it is around $150 a day.

Since then I got the free dining pin. Now if I go in and price a vacation package and do not choose special offer, room only or any type of discount-- just 5 nights for those dates at pop (preferred) and add 5 day water park & more tickets the price is $2056. I did not input the free dining pin because of afraid too. Don't want to do anything to make it go away. So this should be the price with a free quick service dining plan on top of it!! I would either probably upgrade to a regular dining plan or estimate about $300 more if we want to book a couple of sit down meals. Which still have us saving around 300-400.

Sorry didn't mean to be so longwinded. I am just very excited. It will be 7 year olds first trip and we are going to keep it a surpise!!

 

[AR81]

shameless bump

 

[tink20]

I priced out our trip same dates as yours, with the spring offer and FD pin, and it came out better for us to get the free QS dining. We are 2 A and a 10yr old at CBR, 5day hopper passes. Plus it is so convenient to have everything on your one card (door key, park passes and food credits)

 

[AR81]

I priced out our trip same dates as yours, with the spring offer and FD pin, and it came out better for us to get the free QS dining. We are 2 A and a 10yr old at CBR, 5day hopper passes. Plus it is so convenient to have everything on your one card (door key, park passes and food credits)

I am excited because this is our first time staying on property. Basically you can say this is our first trip period because we have only been one other time 10 years ago before we had our youngest and didn't do our research and only visited 2 of the parks. Anyways, I couldn't believe how little extra it cost to price the vacation out with rack rate for the free dining. I figured that it would wipe out my savings because of the 30% off but now I realize because the rooms are pretty inexpensive 30% isn't really that much.
Side note... I got a second pin by email last night. Not sure exactly what it is but it looks like the parkhopper or water park option may be free? I guess I didn't realize it was possible to get 2 pins under your name. My free dining pin came by mail, and this pin came by email..